Definition:
Count
nouns - sometimes called "countable
nouns" and "uncountable nouns" - are nouns that refer to things that can
be multiplied or counted, for example:
- one man, two women, three
children, four cars, five shirts, six computers, seven sisters, and
so on.
Non-count
nouns are nouns that refer to
generalisations, concepts or substances, things that cannot be put in
the plural; for example.
- water, oxygen, eternity,
psychology, anger, politics, heat, alcohol.... and so on.
So far, so good! That is relatively simple to follow.
Concrete
objects and items can be counted,
concepts
and
abstractions
cannot. But
unfortunately, this easy distinction does no take into account all
nouns.
The
Problem:
The problem is that there are a lot of nouns that are
either count
nouns or non-count
nouns , depending on the circumstances. In their
non-count
form or value, they are generalisations, in their
count
noun form or value their meaning is restricted or slightly
different. Look at these examples:
- We all like beer, so let's
order three beers.
- Air is vital for life, but
the air in this room is very unpleasant.
- Radiators should produce
heat, but the heat from that radiator is minimal !
In the examples above, the first time the noun is use with a
non-count
generalising value,
beer, air, heat;
but the second time these nouns are used they have the restricted
value of
count
nouns:
three beers, the air in this
room, the heat from that radiator.
(The fact that some nouns can have either a non-count value or a count
value does not always mean that we can actually count them! Abstractions cannot
usually be put in the plural; for example we could never say There
are two different airs in these two rooms.)
It is
context
that will usually indicate whether a noun is a
count
noun or a
non-count
noun.
Usage:
When writing or talking English, it is essential to know whether the
noun you are going to use is a
count
noun, or functioning as a
count
noun, or if it is a
non-count noun,
or functioning as one. If the noun you want to use can be
either a count noun
or
a non count noun, you must decide which value you wish to give
it in a given context, since this may determine how you
express
your sentence.
The reason is simple;
count
nouns and
non-count
nouns are not used in the same way.
To start with, there are the questions of
determiners (articles, etc.) and
quantifiers
► Count
nouns must
have
a determiner in the singular;
but in the plural, they require a determiner if they are used with a
restricted value, no determiner if they are used as generalisations.
Examples;
you can say
a
table, this table, my table, one table, etc. but
never just "
table".
In
the plural, you say "tables"
(or "all tables")
if you mean all tables
in general, but "the tables" or "these tables",
etc, if you are referring to just certain
tables, but not
all
tables.
Usually, tables have flat
surfaces, but the tables in this café don't.
Buses are big vehicles, but the buses in London are enormous.
► Non-count
nouns
do not have a
determiner in the singular.
For example: Oxygen
is essential for life..
They
are not used in the
plural.
In
cases where non-count nouns are used with a determiner, this is because
they are being used with a restricted
or count value.
For example: This oxygen is contaminated.
For
more on this, see the page on articles.
Quantifiers:
The choice of certain quantifiers such as
much/many, few/little,
some and
any
depends on whether a noun is a
count
noun or a
non-count
noun.
With
count
nouns in the plural, the quantifiers to use are
many, few / a few,
and
some*.
(Obviously, quantifiers cannot be used with
count
nouns in the singular!)
Many
people speak English.
Few animals escaped from the forest fire.
A few animals escaped from the forest fire. (This
does not mean the same!)
The
old man was found by some children.
*Some is replaced by
any
in negative and interrogative contexts.
With
non-count
nouns in the singular, the quantifiers to use are
much, little / a little, and
any.
(And remember,
non-count
nouns cannot be used in the plural!)
There
wasn't much water left.
There was little food left in the house
There was a little food left in the house. (This
does not mean the same!)
There
wasn't any food left in the house.
